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Perfect pizzas for all

I'm not lactose intolerant but I have family members who are so as a result we end up buying the Lactofree cheese rather than buying two types and risking contamination!

I used to be a really big cheese eater and I was not expecting much from a lactose free version. However I was pleasantly suprised and to be honest I now prefer it to ordinary cheddar cheese.

My kid brother (who is lactose intolerant) loves when we use it to make home made pizzas. This is a real treat for him as he finds it difficult watching other kids eat anything they like while he has to be so careful.

Perfect pizza's aren't the only way to use this delicious cheese, I find it very tasty on toast or in sandwiches, and you can never go wrong with cheese and biscuits!

The only down side of the Lactofree range is that it is more costly than ordinary lactose containing products. I feel like this is very unfair to allergy sufferers but at the same time don't mind paying for it in order to enable my family members to enjoy the flavours and treats they otherwise would have to do without.

Overall it's 5 hearts from me for this lovely mild, tasty and lactose free cheese! I've tried the mature version and this is without a doubt the tastiest of the two. It's also much more tasty than the many other brands of free from ranges out there at the moment!

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Only suitable for people who don't want their cheese to taste of cheese.

I love cheese, but sadly cheese does not love me. I am intolerant to all dairy produce (and a whole host of other things), so it's a very rare treat for me to have a tiny bit, and I can only have that if I know that the unpleasant side effects won't interfere with the rest of my life. Lactose intolerance may cause symptoms including bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, so can really cause issues if you're out and about.

Now I happen to have issues with dairy proteins as well as the lactose, but I thought I would give this a go as presumably the issues would be less pronounced. I've never tried an actual dairy free cheese as they're all made from soya and that does nasty things to my insides as well, so it would be a real treat to have something that tasted like cheese and didn't make me ill.

If only!

Lactofree Semi Hard (try not to snigger!) Lactose Free Cheese is essentially normal cheese, to which lactose eating bacterial cutures have been added (yes, really!). It is still made from cow's milk.

Firstly, it doesn't taste like cheese. Well, not like decent cheese anyway. It tastes like that cheap rubbery stuff that is sold in enormous blocks for catering purposes. Far too mild for my palate. It even feels like rubber, something I noted on picking it up off the shelf in the supermarket.

Secondly, it still made me ill. To be fair that's not really the fault of the cheese though, since it is designed for lactose intolerance and not full dairy intolerance.

If your issues are only with lactose, and you like a mild cheese, you'll probably be OK with this. It grates well and melts well. It also seems to keep quite well in the fridge. I've had a block of the stuff in there for a good fortnight or so and it hasn't gone mouldy yet.

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yummy cheese for those suffering lactose intolerance

I love love love cheese, so when I found out that the tummy ache and bloating I had been experiencing was down to dairy, namely lactose I was not very pleased. I started to substitute my milk for soya and my cheese was some strange stuff from Holland and Barratt which did not taste like cheese in the slighest and was a bright orange colour, I soon gave that up !

I mentioned my frustration to a friend who asked why I didn't just use Lactofree products, I had never heard of them before so went on a hunt at Sainsburys. I found yogurt, cream, milk, soft cheese and semi-hard cheese all of which had the lactose removed so were suitable for people like me who are lactose intolerant.

The cheese is very similar both in taste and consistency to a cheese string, it is kind of rubbery, it is a pale yellow colour and does not have a very strong odor.

The taste is very mild, I really love strong cheeses, however I am happy to have this cheese rather than no cheese at all! It melts well so can be use for cheese on toast, in lasagne and on home made pizza. The only thing I have found it is not great for is home made cheese sauce.

I have had no problems with the symtoms I usually get with normal cheese, so it is a great alternative for me and I have also enjoyed the other products in the range.

It is more costly than normal cheese, I pay £1.74 for a 200g block in Sainsburys, which is not too bad considering many specialist products are extortionate prices.

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I no longer have to miss out on great tasting cheese!

I LOOOOOOOVE cheese, so much so that there used to be very very little I would eat without adding cheese (I used to even melt cheese and eat it on Hoola hoop crisps!)...I was like a little mouse! My whole life I have suffered from sore stomachs, constipation and bloating and been diagnosed with IBS. I understand now that I have these problematic due to Elhers Danlos syndrome hypermobility type (I know people don't know a lot about this so feel free to read my review on this to learn more) however my IBS is made worse by eating or drinking any products which contains lactose....I though this meant no more cheese for little mouse *cries* ....until a walk round the supermarket had me stumble across Arlas' lacto free cheese!*Mouse hunt!!!*When on the hunt for this cheese your task is simple, you must follow your nose to the cheese isle of your local supermarket, sneak a look at the variety of cheeses and locate your prey, it is easy to find with it's white packaging complte witharge cow face on the front, this cheeses skin makes it stand out from the rest making tracking the tasty cheese very easy....*evil laugh*. Once you have Lactofree cheese in you possesion you must ensure it's safe delivery to the checkout where.you will.be expected to pay a small sum of money for your catch (I shop in morrisons and pay one pound eighty and it's price is similar elaewhere). Once I take my prize back to my lair it is kept very safe from other mice, it clearly says that it is lacto free and the cow warns of any would be cheese theifs! You don't get a huge amount in the packet so it is imperitive to keep safe, unlike he lacto free yogurts I have tried abd others have taken without noticing this packaging gives good warning to those who ahould not be sniffing around it!

* a hint for the anti-shopping mice*Hate shopping? A look on WWW.lactofree.co.UK will help you find and order this cheese and other lacto free products online, saving you a trip to the supermarket!

* lacto free cheese? Yes please! *The most important thing about this cheese is that it is so similar to normal cheese that even the most fussy mice can't s notice the difference! It only comes in one strength and although this is great to sasafy my cheese cravings it would be fantastic if it was made in a choice of flavour strenghts. The texture of the cheese is great, definitl similar to other demo hard cheeses ans is not rubbery which I had been scared it might be! It is availible in soft aswell which tastes just as great, i prefer the semi hard but that is just down to individual cheese preference!I have used this cheese in macaroni and sandwiches and always recieve compliments!

* value for money for mice families?*You pay slightly more for this cheese for less quantity than you do for your normal cheddar and it only comes in he one relativly small size, it would be nice to see a family sized version to provide famillys where lactose free diets are needed! I wouldn't let the price be to much of a difference as it is still not too expensive and the satisfaction of eating cheese.again is well worth it!

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**This review is also listed on Ciao, under my username "MonsoonBaby88"**

My fiance suffers from lactose intolerance, meaning that he has to cut out all dairy products from his diet. It is a real shame, as he absolutely loves cheese in particular. There has been lactose-free cheese out before, but only in the soya variety, which really does not cut it. Being able to eat dairy myself, I still try out these products with my fiance, as it saves on us buying two lots of things, just so that we can have our own versions of our favourite foods. Soya cheese sadly, really does not cut it for either of us. It texture is a little on the rubbery side, the taste is rather bland.

Finally though, a range of products aptly titled "Lactofree" have hit the shelves, and my fiance is finally able to endulge in his love of cheese with their semi-hard cheese. As I have said, I am able to have dairy cheese, but I decided to take a nibble at the block of lactofree cheese we had picked up in our latest shop, and I can honestly say I was very impressed. The cheese tastes identical to those containing lactose, and from further research into the brand, it appears that all that has been removed is the lactose sugars that are naturally in any form of dairy food. The cheese is still made using cows milk, so removing this lactose has not made any difference to the taste, and so I am happy to share this product with my fiance, despite not needing it.

This cheese tastes of a mild cheddar, and works well when grated into pasta, or put in homemade pizzas. My fiance was especially delighted that he could finally make his own pizzas with cheese that tastes exactly the same as the real deal. The cheese melts wonderfully, and works well in sandwiches, or on crackers.

The texture reminded me of cheesestrings-a little rubbery, but not enough to put you off of eating it. As the cheese is very soft, cutting slices off of it is very simple, and does not require a lot of effort. You can pick up a block of this cheese for around £1.99 in most supermarket stores, which is great value for money, considering most lactose-free products are quite extortunate.

The packaging is a bright white, with the company logo and cow image on the front. The image of the cheese on crackers next to the logo really appealed to us when we went on our usual grocery shop as it just looked so moreish. The packaging is sealed tight, so no air can escape, and because of this, the cheese lasts for a very long time if it has not been opened. Sadly though, when it is opened, there is no way of sealing the packet shut again, so I recommend putting the cheese into a airtight box in your fridge, otherwise you'll be saying hello to the mold soon enough.

So if you are lactose or dairy intolerant, I'd highly recommend giving this cheese a go. Finally, you lactose intolerance sufferers can enjoy the taste of cheddar cheese again, without the horrible side-effects. The cheese works perfectly as an ingredient in cooking a variety of different meals, and also works well in sandwiches, on crackers, or simply enjoying it on it's own. The Lactofree range tastes exactly the same as the normal dairy products, all that has been removed is the lactose sugars that are added in the production of milk and cheese. The cheese is a great price, the only let down is that the packaging tends to lose it's air-tight capabilities once you have opened it, but then an air-tight container of some sort is all that is needed. Give this cheese a go, and you'll finally be able to enjoy what you have been missing!

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Its worth buying

I have been drinking lacto free milk for a few years now, as I am allergic to lactose found in cows milk. Therefore I cannot eat normal milk and cheese as there are some nasty events that take place.

Basically if you think you may be allergic to cows milk, you can experience bloating, diarrea, sore throat, coughing, be sick, heartburn and headaches. I cut all milk products out of my diet and tried soya products and lacto free milk which definately helped.

My mum found this cheese in the supermarket and having had success with the milk product I tried it. Now I use it for everything, in sandwiches, pizzas, with chips, on crackers. It is a mild tasting cheese, like a mild cheddar, it melts a lot better than normal soya cheese.

It isnt too expensive at around £1.80 a pack, which is a small price to pay for being able to enjoy cheese in my meals again. This cheese has 99.9% of the lactose taken out somehow in their science process.

The packaging has their cow logo on the front and has an orange strip which shows it is the hard cheese, as there is also a soft cheese version.

You can find it amongst the other cheeses in your local supermarket. My whole family will even eat it if I cook something with it in so it is definately tasty.

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Finally a cheese for the lactose intolelrant that tastes of cheese!

Finally....a lactose free cheese that tastes like cheese!

I am lactose intolerant and found it really difficult to find products to substitute the real thing. Lactofree cheese really is great! It is a mild tasting cheddar cheese that you would never believe was suitable for lactose intolerant. Granted it doesn't taste like your extra strong mature cheddar but I was never a fan of that anyway! It is still made from cows milk so the taste it still there, they just take the lactose out which is the baddy that makes me ill! They say that it is 99.9% lactose free which is really great news.

You can do everything you would do with normal cheese and it will taste and look exactly the same... I experiment frequently with constant rounds of cheese on toast! It melts amazingly well - unlike soya! Not only that it is better for you than dairy cheese as it is the lactose that makes it worse for you!!

It's fairly reasonably priced - you do of course pay slightly more than your average chunk of cheddar but to be able to eat cheese it's definitely worth it.

If you're lactose intolerant and miss cheese this is definitely going to cheer you up!

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A great alternative for cheese lovers

Finally, a real cheese for people who cant have cheese!!!

Lactose intolerance is very common in the general population, which is why it is so surprising that there are so few lactose free alternatives available. There are of course soya products - but I think these must be an acquired taste as I find they taste horrible! Soya products also arent the best option for people with lactose intolerance (as opposed to people who are simply chossing to avoid dairy such as vegans) as a high proportion of people who cant tolerate lactose will also become intolerant to soya products too!

The lactofree cheese has been my saving grace as I absolutely love cheese and craved it very badly when I had to cut it out of my diet! It is quite pale compared to hard cheeses such as cheddar and has quite a rubbery feel, a bit like edam. It also has a very, very mild flavour BUT it melts on toast, is delicious with a bit of pickle or marmite in a sandwich and grates easily so you can pile it onto your pasta!

It isnt available everywhere - I have seen it in Tesco and Waitrose, but you wont find it in smaller shops such as Budgens or the Co-op at the moment.

It would be nice to see another lactofree cheese in the range- maybe one with a slightly stronger flavour, but in the meantime I am happy to have found this one!

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Really worth trying if you are lactose intolerant

**What is it?**

Lactofree cheese is a mild, fairly soft cheese that is 99.9% free from lactose, the sugar found in milk that often causes lactose intolerance. Many people suffer from lactose intolerance, myself being one of them and the lactofree range of products including milk, cheese and yoghurt, provide allergy sufferers with the unique opportunity to eat dairy products with no side effects (in theory).

It is the UK's ONLY lactose free product range on the market, and a relatively new addition to our supermarkets.

**How does it work?**

Apparently they filter the milk to remove half the lactose, they then add lactase, the enzyme that breaks up lactose, and frequently lacking in allergy sufferers, to the milk to break up the lactose.

**How does it taste**

Lactofree products tend to taste much like (if not better than) 'normal' dairy products, unfortunately with a steep price tag of almost 2 pounds. But it is worth it, the cheese is slightly softer than i would normally choose, I prefer very hard cheese, but then again i am allergic to cheese so I can't complain. It is a wonderful invention for those who are lactose intolerant, one that is allowing people who haven't eaten cheese in years to have pizza and cheese toasties. Yum.

**Does it work**

Yes and no, for me I found I still react to the cheese, even in relatively small doses, but my intolerace to dairy may go beyond lactose, as there are other elements in dairy you can be intolerant too. However, if I plan on being 'bad' and having cheese or pizza, then I definitley go for lactofree, because my reaction isn't nearly as bad. Don't let this put you off, many people are fine with it, just some people are more sensitive to lactose than others and may react to even a tiny amount.

**In Conclusion**

A wonderful product, even with the price tag, I'm just waiting for lactofree ice cream and milk chocolate now, and I'll be set!

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I feel this is best lactose free cheese on the market even if it is a bit pricey

Soya products are good for those like myself who are allergic to dairy cheese, they lack the substance and texture of real cheese. In all of my experiences with soya cheese it has been rubbery flavourless and unappealing. When heated it barely even melts, this means that I have not had real cheese without making me ill in seven long years.

Now thanks to Lacto free I can finally have real cheese that is real dairy cheese made from fine cows milk and not from a ground bean. The taste of lacto Free Semi Hard Cheese is identical to that of real cheese and it even melts properly!

Not being able to have cheese has been the drawback of many nights dining out and many cooking sessions for me. Since I have been lactose intolerant there have been many nights out to restaurants where nearly everything on the menu has included cheese, these restaurants were a selection of Italian, Spanish and of course Pizza restaurants. Often these have been parties or celebrations that I could not really turn down.

A small variety of restaurants have the habit of writing their menus in a foreign language, which for me who is allergic to a fair selection of substances is a large disadvantage. I often order something that has "no dairy" but is filled with cream or milk. I also sometimes brave it and think "Oh a little dairy will not hurt. Then in both situations I get very sick pretty quickly and put a negative dent in what should have been a good night out.

Whilst Lacto Free won't help me in my restaurant travels maybe, one day it will. More importantly this product can help me at home. I can now experience the food that people dine on in a restaurant and have cheese based meals once again, which may mean that I do not have the craving to try it when if should not.

My girlfriend also loves her cheese based meals, such as cheesy pasta, pizza, lasagne and as a topping to many meals. Now I can actually cook these meals for us both to enjoy rather than making separate dishes. Lacto Free Semi Hard Cheese is a perfect equivalent to mild cheddar and even though it is only one type of many, for now I am content knowing that I can have cheese again.

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Lactose free cheese which tastes pretty much like normal cheese!

Being lactose intolerant means I get unpleasant reactions when I'm naughty and eat cheese. Having tried Cheezly (a dairy free "cheese"), I wasn't impressed and was resigned to either not eating cheese at all or suffering the after effects. Then came along Lactofree Semi Hard Cheese...

Lactofree Semi Hard Cheese is made by that same Lactofree company known for making lactose free milk. Preferring rice milk, I'd never tried Lactofree's milk or any of their other products, so didn't know what I'd think of their cheese. Having found the Lactofree Semi Hard Cheese in the dairy section of our local supermarket, I decided to give it ago.

Reading the packet I could see that the cheese is made from natural cows milk... which was somewhat surprising, considering cows milk contains lactose! However, while the cheese is being made bacterial cultures are added (which somewhat put me off!) and these use up the lactose (apparently the bacteria stop working when the lactose is gone).

Now, most importantly, on to the taste... Well, in my opinion, Lactofree Semi Hard Cheese tastes pretty much like normal cheddar cheese! I'm not sure if it's my taste buds (from lack of regular cheese eating), but I do find it tastes more like a mature cheddar than a mild one. I decided I'd test it on a non-suspecting lactose tolerant person and so gave a piece of the Lactose Semi Hard Cheese to my Dad without telling him what it was... and, as far as he was concerned, it tasted like any normal cheese and he was quite surprised when I told him it was lactose free.

So far I've had this cheese in a cheese salad sandwich (which is when I noticed the strong taste) and a cheese & pickle toasty. Just like with your average cheese, the Lactofree Semi Hard Cheese melted perfectly to create a very tasty toasted sarny.

Lactofree also do a soft cheese, but the nearest supermarket to me that sells it is 40 minutes away in Shrewsbury, so I'll have to wait until I'm next over there to get that.

Lactofree have a handy Stockist page where you can enter your postcode and it will list your nearest supermarkets selling Lactofree products (and exactly which ones they sell) - http://www.lactofree.co.uk/what-is-lactofree/stockists/

All in all, I'm very pleased with this cheese and will certainly be buying more as I've nearly run out. I've had no after effects from it and at £1.99 for a 200g block of cheese, I don't think it's a bad price.